MER'CENARY, adjective [Latin mercenarius, from merces, reward, wages, mercor, to guy.] 1. Venal; that may be hired; actuated by the hope of reward; moved by the love of money; as a mercenary prince or judge. 2. Hired; purchased by money; as mercenary services; mercenary soldiers. 3. Sold for money; as mercenary blood. 4. Greedy of gain; mean; selfish; as a mercenary disposition. 5. Contracted from motives of gain; as a mercenary marriage. MER'CENARY, noun One who is hired; a soldier that is hired into foreign service; a hireling.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI